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General Cricket => Your Cricket => Topic started by: uknsaunders on January 27, 2016, 11:21:22 AM

Title: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: uknsaunders on January 27, 2016, 11:21:22 AM
3 votes on this one as it's never cut and dried!
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: shamelessshaun on January 27, 2016, 11:33:12 AM
As captain I put myself number 4 or 5 depending on how rough I may be feeling. The rest is pretty much the same week to week if everyone is available. Will obviously getting changed to suit certain situations (fast runs/block overs etc.).
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: Buzz on January 27, 2016, 11:37:11 AM
Is this for a club side or an international side?

My main philosophy is to have a mix of attacking and defensive batsman throughout the side - so have one hitter and one blocker opening
I would then speak to my best batsman and ask him where he wants to bat and build the rest of the order around him.
I look to mix experience and youth
Other than that, this is club cricket, you look to do your best with the team you have!

If the pitch looks really terrible and we are batting first, I have been known to front load the batting order with blockers to try and see of the new ball bowlers.
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: Percy on January 27, 2016, 11:41:14 AM
Is this for a club side or an international side?

My main philosophy is to have a mix of attacking and defensive batsman throughout the side - so have one hitter and one blocker opening
I would then speak to my best batsman and ask him where he wants to bat and build the rest of the order around him.
I look to mix experience and youth
Other than that, this is club cricket, you look to do your best with the team you have!

If the pitch looks really terrible and we are batting first, I have been known to front load the batting order with blockers to try and see of the new ball bowlers.

Looks spot on to me; this is club cricket after all and generally there is a mix of abilities and ages.
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: uknsaunders on January 27, 2016, 11:42:09 AM
Club cricket very definitely @Buzz , unless international teams pick from whoever turns up?
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: Calzehbhoy on January 27, 2016, 11:49:24 AM
All done by how broken people are from the night before.

The least hungover in first to give the rest time to sober up!

Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: sarg on January 27, 2016, 12:04:42 PM
Try to bat at 5 or 6 and then you get out of umpiring or scoring...well at least thats how see it. Lol. I never get to bat lower than 4 grrr
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: northernboy1987 on January 27, 2016, 12:15:43 PM
I'm skipper and it is tough sometimes to get a mix of fielding what you think is roughly your best batting order and keeping everyone happy.

Our two gun batsmen have preferred positions (1 and 3) so they bat there 90% of the time. In 40/50 overs I'd put our resident blocker in to open with Gun1 and then I'd bat 4/5/6 depending on who else is playing with me as the teams all round(er). But in T20 I like to put a pinch hitter (50 off 20 or out 2nd ball kind of lad) in with Gun1 to try and get us off to a flyer, with Gun2 still batting at 3 (good technique but hits the ball hard) and hold back the blocker as someone who can consolidate the innings in case we lose early wickets and keep the batting order flexible depending on situation.
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: TangoWhiskey on January 27, 2016, 12:17:02 PM
We have people who want to open so we let them, ignoring any ability. Worst comes to worst, they are out early and our better batsmen come in. A good situation will be that they have seen off the shine and the opening bowlers before they get out, but we'll be on 20 off 10 or something. Occasionally the come off and get past 50.

At our level it doesn't make a blind bit of difference where people bat as one good innings tends to win the game. Might have to review it as we progress up the leagues though having only just joined one for this season but for now it works out fine.
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: uknsaunders on January 27, 2016, 12:41:17 PM
It's a topic we have debated a few times.

Do you recognise that you only have 45 overs to bat and you need your best batsman facing most of the balls, particularly to deal with the better bowlers

or

Do you take the pragmatic approach and say we need to shield our best batsman for a few overs to come in when they have less chance of getting a good ball

In some ways the wicket determines the approach. Play on good decks and the new ball isn't much of an issue. Play on a bowler friendly deck and the pragmatic approach can win games.

I personally liked to attack the new ball, sending in an aggressive batsman to put the opening bowlers on the back foot. You can draw the sting more quickly out of an attack if somebody smacks 30 in 5 overs up front. However, you also die by the sword if the batsmen get out being to aggressive. Having somebody "steady" in the top order is important either opening or further down, just a case of where.
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: InternalTraining on January 27, 2016, 01:03:54 PM
Good topic!

I have seen blocker-fast scorer combo work well for us. Our pitches are AstroTurf with no turn and lots of swing. Blockers with good technique help. Why the qualifier? Because my definition of a blocker is someone with great defensive technique who will dispatch a bad ball for runs. We have one blocker who will prolong his outing with literal blocking and no running drawing the jeers and ire of the pavilion. And that is not blocking in my book, that is squatting. :D
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: northernboy1987 on January 27, 2016, 01:06:42 PM
Good topic!

I have seen blocker-fast scorer combo work well for us. Our pitches are AstroTurf with no turn and lots of swing. Blockers with good technique help. Why the qualifier? Because my definition of a blocker is someone with great defensive technique who will dispatch a bad ball for runs. We have one blocker who will prolong his outing with literal blocking and no running drawing the jeers and ire of the pavilion. And that is not blocking in my book, that is squatting. :D

Our blocker isn't always capable of putting the bad ball to the fence but he does run like a whippet on heat haha  :D
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: Cin88 on January 27, 2016, 02:00:43 PM
I've always played in teams that value runs scored over everything else batting wise so generally whoever has the most runs to date finds themselves higher up the order, apart from the captain who just chooses where he wants to be.

Personally I prefer having a blocker open to try and hold one end up for the majority of the innings whilst more naturally agressive batsmen go to work at the other end.
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: ProCricketer1982 on January 27, 2016, 05:25:08 PM
1-2 proper openers who punish the bad balls but have the best techniques and mentality
3-4 best batsmen usually, guys who have sound techniques and especially 4 more attacking in mindset but can play properly too
5 attacking Stoke maker but not a slogger
6 probably a guy who can attack but also marshal he tail so needs to be able to do both but probably not as competent as 3-4

7+ hitters of varying degrees of competence but should all be able to occupy the crease to bat for stumps of needed and not just give it away . Ideally score about 240-260 off 50-55 overs. Anymore and you don't tempt Oppos into the chase. If you are playing win/lose then just load up with sloggers from the start, no need for proper batsmen in that game really tbh
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: edge on January 27, 2016, 06:11:22 PM
Club cricket I think you need to have one of your best batsman opening ideally, if they don't like opening then the good old hitter/blocker combo. Agree with Buzz in that when I'm putting a batting order together I'm ideally aiming to make sure there's players capable of scoring quick runs mixed throughout the order, it's limited overs after all so you don't want a pair getting bogged down together for a long period. In a perfect world you've got those positive players to get on top, mixed in with people who just bat time and score faster as their innings progresses. More usually you're trying to make the best of what you've got though!
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: edge on January 27, 2016, 06:22:13 PM
Village batting order stereotype XI
1 Blocker
2 Tries to hit everything over the top
3 Bloke who owns the nicest batting kit
4 Star allrounder
5 Thinks he should be batting higher
6 Older gent, nurdles to third man or square leg
7 Shocking technique, gets the bowling sides' hopes of a long tail up and then out of nowhere blasts one into the next county
8 Whichever seamer most fancies themselves as Flintoff
9 Can actually play both a defensive and an attacking shot
10 Either Hoggard style blocker or swings at everything
11 Useless
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: StillNotOut on January 27, 2016, 06:25:40 PM
We have an opening combo of two attacking batsmen with one being an extremely aggressive batsman just wanting to clear the ropes

A steady batsman at 3 who can play out the whole match if needs be

Then down the order will be attacking at 4, steady at 5, attacking at 6 and steady at 7. Tailenders decide who goes next after that


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Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: Sivlar13 on January 27, 2016, 06:45:28 PM
I think these days the role of the opener has changed massively. I would much prefer a touch player who is always looking to rotate the strike rather than an out and out blocker. Our brick wall batted at 6 when we were in trouble, and he would float for when we weren't, but never for opening. 
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: ProCricketer1982 on January 27, 2016, 07:14:56 PM
I think these days the role of the opener has changed massively. I would much prefer a touch player who is always looking to rotate the strike rather than an out and out blocker. Our brick wall batted at 6 when we were in trouble, and he would float for when we weren't, but never for opening.
Surprised he stays at the club batting at six and floating, waste of a day if you are an accumulator
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: SOULMAN1012 on January 27, 2016, 07:25:12 PM
Even at club cricket this matters and I don't believe is easy to change. I have opened the batting for about 13 years in men's cricket. Last season joined a new club. Who had the philosophy that wicket keepers bat 6/7 I.e in the Matt prior/ joss butler etc role. I have never batted that low and I am not a big hitter clear the boundary earlier on kind of player as I have never learned or practised that job. So lady season was my worst season ever. I didn't want to bat that low, I didn't know how to play and hence got really frustrated.
You play to people's strengths in my view but your top order needs to be solid but keep score board ticking over
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: tommo256 on January 27, 2016, 07:39:43 PM
My philosophy is go hard or go home, it's either going to work or not
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: northernboy1987 on January 27, 2016, 08:11:51 PM
Village batting order stereotype XI
1 Blocker
2 Tries to hit everything over the top
3 Bloke who owns the nicest batting kit
4 Star allrounder
5 Thinks he should be batting higher
6 Older gent, nurdles to third man or square leg
7 Shocking technique, gets the bowling sides' hopes of a long tail up and then out of nowhere blasts one into the next county
8 Whichever seamer most fancies themselves as Flintoff
9 Can actually play both a defensive and an attacking shot
10 Either Hoggard style blocker or swings at everything
11 Useless
I like this order, but possibly because I regularly bat at 4 and fancy myself as an all rounder haha

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Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: smilley792 on January 27, 2016, 08:20:24 PM
We used to have 3 blockers at the top. 2 very good batsmen at 4/5 and then 6-10 all massive hitters.
Number xi was either Taku that's sweeper everything or our 65year old spinner.



But as we always needed up with about 7 or 8 overs left we changed that a few years back and it works a lot better. Unfortunately for us it's not for off what @edge wrote lol.


1) the dude that thinks he can hit eevrything(which is me! 50 or out never made drinks)
2) decent blocker strike rate in 40s
3) decent batsmen strike rate about 65/75
4) our star allrounder. Best batsmen and best bowler(and if he wasn't a bellend would probably play elsewhere)
5) our best proper hitter, plays proper shots but hits them hard. Strike rate 140s

6-10) our stumper that can bat but isn't bothered, will go in if a collapse.
3-11) our skipper. He bats were he wants, just appears when he senses it's his time and says, I'm in next. Hits it hard very very hard. Has scored more sixes than 4s in his carrer(it's about 700 -550)

7,8,9,10 the other bowlers/strike big hitters.

11 our young opening quick that's not sure which end to hold the bat.
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: Woodyspin on January 27, 2016, 08:46:26 PM
My team goes...

1.The aussie that nudges and nurdles
2.the one that doesnt want to but 1
3.usually the attacking bloke (always over mid on)
4.our all rounder
5.prospect youngster that loves batting
6.gun slogger
7.even better Sri Lankan slogger
8.keeper (will bat for days but can hit it long)
9. Best batting bowler
10.usually me
11.the ill technique slogger than jumps to 8 if we need 30 off 10
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: Jamesfield on January 27, 2016, 08:51:22 PM
Blocker and Clubber combo !
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: Jamesfield on January 27, 2016, 08:51:45 PM
with the more classy batsmen at 4/5
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: Cin88 on January 27, 2016, 09:05:49 PM
Our second team's usual order:

1) Captain (if he wants it) or blocker.
2) Blocker (if captain at 1) or first team 1-6 batsman who dropped down to get some form back.
3) Keeper
4) Opening bowler who can actually bat quite well.
5) Opening bowler's brother, bit of a blocker at times, has been known to open.
6) Biffer, any decent contact and the ball is lost, 50 or nothing.
7) Biffer's dad.
8 ) Vice captain, quite agressive.
9) Young bowler's grandad, tends to nudge for quick runs.
10) Defensive batsman who feels that he's too far down the order, often asks to move up the order when a collapse happens (no prizes for guessing who this is  :D )
11) Turn up and field player or young bowler.

No idea what the first team is like as they tend to share the batting duties amongst about 6 of them.
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: InternalTraining on January 27, 2016, 11:50:38 PM
Haha. Some of these are funny.

Nobody plays with people they don't like but have to put up due to lack of options?
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: kenbriooo on February 03, 2016, 09:18:37 PM
I used to play with Grass Grow and Paint Dry as our openers. Would literally be 30 of 25 at drinks then the rest of us would have to score quick to catch up. All well and good having wickets in hand but I always found it frustrating when teams got 50 in the first 5 overseas as you instantly felt like you were on the back foot.
Title: Re: Batting Order Philosophy
Post by: Seniorplayer on February 03, 2016, 09:28:37 PM
I think if you have capable openers your best bat should go in at 3 any lower than 4 is a waste.